Tales of the Empire
by Sushi-X
Summary: This is story one of ten. These stories use my two Warhammer characters Nikoli Gustav and Alec Darone, who are a part of my actual Warhammer:FB Empire Army.


Nikoli Gustav began his tale slowly, his eyes darting to each man and Dwarf seated before him." It all started one night when some of the young maidens from our province went missing...." It had indeed started then, and after a few nights of disappearances men were called to search for them. Once they began to look, it was found that the Vampire Counts residing nearby in Sylvania had swept the girls away. Many were sent to put an end to this scourge, but each time their broken bodies, drained of blood were found outside the town. But one man was victorious, one known as Nikoli Gustav. The night before he was to set out on his crusade, the warrior priest gave him the sword of his father. Also he was given a suit of armor made from fine metal. He also carried a bronze shield, a phoenix emblazoned on it.  
  
As he rode out of Averheim on his horse, he was unsure of what lay ahead. As night fell the moon cast eerie shadows on the road before him and as he approached the area known as the Moot his horse grew restless, he slowed it to a trot, his eyes darting back and forth, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Just then a band of eight goblins lept from the bushes his horse reared back and threw him off, he quickly leapt to his feet, ready for the greenskins, as the first two came at him he drew his sword quickly chopping their heads off, but then three grabbed him and as one was about to skewer him with a crooked gobo blade, he was made a green pin cushion by arrows from a group of crossbow men. Nikoli was able to throw off two of the goblins and sliced their abdomens their innards spilling onto the ground with a sickening plop. He turned to see the remaining three flee into the underbrush. He then cast his gaze to the men in front of him. By the colors on their garments he could tell they were from his home province. As he was short on time, he nodded to them and they called behind him: "Sigmar be with you!" He turned to them: "And with you.." at that he went after his horse, who he found waiting patiently behind a bush, he climbed on the saddle and continued on. He stayed the night in the Moot, and in the morning he rose and continued on to the Vampiric stronghold of Dracken-hof.  
  
As he approached the towering castle night grew near and he grew uneasy. He left his horse outside and journeyed in. As he walked he could see many skeletons that were brutally strung about, he readied his sword yet again. As he approached an inner chamber he saw the object of his quest, a vampire count emerging from a coffin, he put his shield in front of him and called out: "Lord of Darkness! Ready thyself to leave this world!" The vampire only cackled evilly. "Nae 'tis ye foolish mortal who shall be killed!" the vampire drew a long blade running at unholy speed toward the hero. The face- off began and it was apparent that Nikoli was at a disadvantage. The vampire brought his sword down onto the arm of the man his blade causing the armor to bend. Nikoli struck back with his blade catching the Count in the shoulder, it barely made a dent in the strong armor of the undead warrior. As they fought, Nikoli kept moving back hoping to find a relic from a warrior of bygone ages, who had also been fighting this evil, then he stumbled upon a slain man who was grasping a sword, the sword glowed slightly in the darkness, he made a hard strike at the Vampire, who blocked with his own blade, breaking Nikoli's sword in two. This was all he needed, Nikoli jumped back, grabbing this sword, the sword of battle, and immediately he was faster, and struck with more power, he drove his foe back, toward a torch, and then he made his move, he sliced high and the undead fighter ducked, as he did Nikoli slapped the torch onto the count, who was then engulfed in flames. Nikoli leapt back and grabbed another torch, which he also threw upon his opponent. As he watched the once mighty warrior was reduced to a few bits of arm and leg and an eye. Nikoli grabbed all of them and threw all of them, except the eye into a pile which he caught on fire, the eye he skewered on a necklace which he still carries with him. He walked out of the castle, bleeding from numerous places and climbed on his horse. He rode back to Averheim, where he received a hero's welcome. He took the sword of battle and put it in the hands of the warrior priest to give to any who crusade again, in exchange he was given the sword he now carries, the sword of the Wyrmslayer. "So that is my tale, I got this helm another time..which again is another story, and that tale is also were I met a great warrior, Alec Darone.." 


End file.
